Pack defense hopes to put struggles behind it against potent Fresno State offense

The perfect elixir to solving the defensive woes suffered by the Nevada football team the past three weeks wouldn’t typically include playing an offense that is one of the most potent on the West Coast.

But that’s exactly what the Wolf Pack will get Saturday when it hosts Fresno State.

Coach Chris Ault doesn’t exactly mind. He figures if Nevada’s struggling defense is going to get back on track, it’s going to need to have laser focus.

“We don’t have to tell the guys that this is a good team; they know it,” said Ault, adding that Fresno State’s passing attack is “as good as anybody on the West Coast.”

Fresno State brings a host of talented offensive players into the rivalry matchup. Quarterback Derek Carr and running back Robbie Rouse are NFL talents and freshman receiver Davante Adams leads the Mountain West in receptions (71), receiving yards (907) and receiving touchdowns (10).

“They’ve got good wide receivers, they have a really good quarterback and Robbie Rouse has been one of the best running backs on the West Coast for a couple of years,” associate head coach/linebackers coach Ken Wilson said. “There’s no weak link in that chain.”

QB Derek Carr, who has 30 TD passes this year, leads Fresno State against Nevada on Saturday. (AP)

Fresno State also has a new pass-first spread scheme under first-year coach Tim DeRuyter, who junked Pat Hill’s ground-and-pound attack for a more potent format. Carr, who threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns against Nevada last year, is thriving in the system.

The junior is averaging more than 300 passing yards per game and has thrown for 30 touchdowns (tied for the second most in the NCAA) against just five interceptions. Fresno State’s 38.3 points per game average is second in the MWC behind Nevada (39.6 ppg).

“They have play-makers and they’ve adapted that offense to those guys,” defensive tackle Jordan Hanson said. “They have a lot of small, fast guys and they get them out in the open. Speed kills in space, and they’ve done a good job of getting them out in space and giving them a chance to make plays.”

While stopping the Fresno State offense would be difficult for a defense playing well, the Wolf Pack’s unit isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders. The group hasn’t forced a punt in 15 straight possessions and has allowed an average of 41 points in its past three games.

In its last time out, Nevada gave up 600 yards and 48 points in a 17-point loss at Air Force. Given the unique nature of the Falcons’ triple-option offense, the Pack is hoping to prove that game was an anomaly. During its bye week, Nevada got back to basics rather than going through a major renovation.

“I think everybody is ready to get back and finish the season strong,” Hanson said. “We still have that sour taste in our mouths and we feel embarrassed in regards to what happened at Air Force. For us, it’s about coming out here and showing that what happened against Air Force isn’t who we really are and just getting back to Nevada football.”

Ault said Fresno State’s offense is as good as Nevada has faced this season, saying it was comparable to Cal’s offense. The Bulldogs are one of the more balanced teams in the MWC. Despite throwing the ball on 53 percent of its plays, Fresno State still has a strong rushing attack.

Rouse, who is Fresno State’s all-time leading rusher, has hit the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past three seasons. In his past two games against Nevada, the 5-foot-7 Rouse has accounted for 424 yards and five touchdowns.

The Wolf Pack has won the past four games in this rivalry series, but will be a 2.5-point underdog Saturday – marking just the sixth time it has been a home underdog in the past five seasons.

Nevada (6-3, 3-2 MWC) did get a jolt of good news during its bye week: San Diego State beat Boise State. That upset strengthened the Wolf Pack’s bid for at least a share of the MWC title, although Nevada will have to sharpen its play to accomplish that. Fresno State (7-3, 5-1) is now tied for first in the conference. A Wolf Pack win Saturday would put Nevada back in the thick of the title race.

“This conference is up for grabs right now and I think if we steal this win right here we’ve got a good chance,” senior safety Duke Williams said.

About this blog

Longtime RGJ Media reporter Dan Hinxman is the authority on Wolf Pack athletics, bringing you the day-to-day coverage of Nevada’s sports teams. Dan has covered almost everything the Northern Nevada sports scene has to offer and will use his knowledge to bring you authoritative and engaging Wolf Pack content. Follow him on Twitter at @DanHinxmanRGJ.